Advances in television entertainment have been primarily driven by breakthroughs in technology. In 1939, advances on Vladmir Zworykin's picture tube provided the stimulus for NBC to begin its first regular broadcasts. In 1975, advances in satellite technology provided consumers with increased programming to homes.
Many of these technology breakthroughs have produced inconvenient systems for consumers. One example is the ubiquitous three remote control home, having a separate and unique remote control for the TV, cable box and VCR. More recently, technology has provided cable users with 100 channels of programming. This increased program capacity is beyond the ability of many consumers to use effectively. No method of managing the program choices has been provided to consumers.
Consumers are demanding that future advances in television entertainment, particularly programs and program choices, be presented to the consumer in a user friendly manner. In order for new television entertainment products to be successful, the products must satisfy consumer demands. TV consumers wish to go from limited viewing choices to a variety of choices, from no control of programming to complete control. Consumers do not wish to pay for one hundred channels when due to lack of programming information, they seldom, if ever, watch programming on many of these channels.
The concepts of interactive television, high definition television and 300-500 channel cable systems in consumer homes will not sell if they are not packaged, delivered and presented in a useable fashion to consumers. The problem is that TV programming is not being managed, packaged, delivered, and presented to consumers in a user friendly manner.
Consumers are already being bombarded with programming options, numerous "free" cable channels, subscription cable channels and pay-per-view choices. Any further increase in TV entertainment choices will likely bewilder viewers with a mind-numbing array of choices.
The TV industry has traditionally marketed and sold its programs to consumers in bulk, such as continuous feed broadcast and long-term subscriptions to movie channels. The TV industry is unable to sell its programming in large quantities on a per unit basis, such as the ordering of one program.
In today's television world networks manage the program lineup for individual channels. Each network analyzes ratings for television shows and determines the appropriate schedule or program lineup to gain market share and revenue from advertising. Since each channel is in competition with every other channel, there is no coordinated effort to organize or package television programming in a manner that primarily suits the viewers.
Additionally, viewership fragmentation, which has already begun to decrease a channel's or program's market share, will increase. Programming not presented in a user friendly manner will suffer with a decrease in viewership and revenue.
And finally, with the imminent introduction of digital television technology, current television delivery systems do not have the capabilities or features necessary to operate in the digital environment.
What is needed is a distribution point for programs.
What is needed is a method of organizing programming to be offered to viewers.
What is needed is a television program delivery system that can be operated in a distributive fashion and controlled from one or more national centers.
What is needed is an operations center for a system which can gather television programming in a variety of formats, package the programs, deliver the programs, and present the programs through a user friendly interface which allows the consumer to easily select from among the many program choices.
What is needed is an operations center that is capable of handling hundreds of programs in different formats.
What is needed is an operations center that is expandable for future types of programming.
What is needed is needed is an operations center that can control certain features and software of a television delivery system.
What is needed is an operations center that operates in the digital audio/video environment.
What is needed is an operations center that formulates program menus for viewer use.
What is needed is a computer assisted program packaging system.
What is needed is an operations center that includes a method for billing consumers.
What is needed is an operations center that analyzes data on programs watched by viewers.
The present invention is addressed to fulfillment of these needs.